


Elaina and the Forest of Spirits

by mediaocrity4



Category: Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina
Genre: Adventure, F/F, Fantasy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:33:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28084728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mediaocrity4/pseuds/mediaocrity4
Summary: Elaina the Ashen Witch teams up with her friend Saya to appease the spirits inhabiting a mystical forest. But the phantom beasts aren't the only ones in need of appeasing.
Relationships: Elaina/Saya
Comments: 3
Kudos: 58





	1. Into the Unknown

**Author's Note:**

> Wandering Witch is my favorite show of the year and I'm happy that I'm the first person to do a fanfic for it on this site. This will be a 3 chapter story. I originally wanted to make it a lengthy one shot, but with the holidays and my own schedule, it works better for me to write and release this in bite sized chunks.

According to legend, on a night of the full moon, if you look between the dueling peaks you can see a faint light on the horizon marking the entry to an enchanted forest. Stories of various people visiting this mysterious place had long captivated the youth of the world. One such child grew up into a beautiful witch. While on her journey she decided to visit the town nearest to the legendary dueling peaks.

And who was this beautiful young girl? It was the Ashen Witch Elaina, who had been spending her time traveling far and wide to observe all the wonderful sights this world had to offer. So of course she would be enthralled with the possibility of visiting the mysterious forest beyond the dueling peaks.

The ashen-haired beauty dismounted her broom, expecting to be greeted by a local. To her surprise, the town was quiet. As she made her way down the street, she heard a thumping around the corner. A short, stout man was boarding up a window to his shop. Elaina looked around, noting all the boarded up windows. She knew something must have happened, and her curiosity was sparked.

“Hey!” She called out. The man looked over to her and waved. 

“Young Miss.” He acknowledged her presence. He then set his hammer down and gave her a once over. “Quite rare that we get two witches here at the same time.”

“Two witches?” Elaina put the thought in the back of her head. She’d inquire about that later. For now, she was most curious about the state of the town.

“Could you be from the Association as well?” The man asked.

“No, I’m just a traveller.”

“Well, can’t say that you came on the best night. Then again, not the worst night to be a witch.”

“I was going to ask what’s going on in this town.” Elaina nodded.

“Hmm.” The older man scratched his chin. “Well, about three months ago something upset the spirits of the forest. Ever since then, they’ve run wild on full moon nights. We put in a request for a witch, and she only just arrived yesterday. Everyone is making preparations for tonight. I just hope that the Association’s witch can find out why the spirits are so restless.”

“Perhaps I can be of some assistance. I came here to visit the forest. It’ll be better for me if the spirits are more welcoming. Where is this other witch?”

The townsman gave her directions to the hotel where the witch was staying. As soon as she walked into the lobby, she was greeted with a pleasant sight. The witch was one she was familiar with. Shorter than her and with short charcoal hair framing her beaming face was Saya. As soon as Saya turned to face her, she had the biggest, reddest smile on her face. Elaina was far more stoic and gave a small smile.

“Ms. Elaina!” Saya cheered as she jumped into the Ashen Witch’s arms. “That promise charm actually worked!” Saya squeezed tight around her idol and rubbed her face into the ashen girl’s chest. “You are every bit as beautiful as I remember. Oh how blessed I must be for fate to smile on me so soon!” 

“It hasn’t been that long.” Elaina said as she gave Saya a headpat. Saya just continued to rub her face into Elaina’s body. So much so that the witch was getting embarrassed. She always enjoyed Saya’s company but the younger girl could get too clingy for Elaina’s liking. Saya was the only one she ever allowed to be this affectionate with her, but she did have her boundaries.

“What brings you here?” Saya asked as Elaina started to push her away. “Were you tracking me down? Oh Ms. Elaina my love, if you want me that bad….”

“I wanted to visit the forest of spirits here.” Elaina cut her off and finally broke free of the hug. Saya struggled against Elaina’s efforts to keep her distance, and she eventually gave in and forced herself to calm down.

“Well I have a plan.” Saya said.

On the night of the full moon, the light at the edge of the forest signals a convergence between the land of spirits and the human world. Elaina and Saya both floated high above the valley separating the forest from the town. Saya had filled Elaina in on the plan. If the spirits were as wild as they had been led to believe, they would naturally go on the path of least resistance. 

Elaina was focused on the task at hand even though she could feel Saya’s eyes burning holes into her. She couldn’t blame the eager young witch, she was beautiful after all. Elaina didn’t need Saya’s help to feel conceited about her appearance. In her mind, it was only natural for the girl who swore to become her bride would also undress her in her mind, even while hovering hundreds of feet in the air.

“The view is beautiful isn’t it?” Elaina broke the silence.

“Yes you are er I mean yes it is.”

“Saya, I already know you mean both.”

“Am I really that obvious?”

“Were you trying to be subtle?”

“Not really.” The younger girl shrugged.

“Well, you’ve been as obvious as a fireball to the face.” 

“Miss Elaina, can I ask you something...how exactly do you feel about me.” Saya asked.

Elaina shook her head. She hadn’t given it all that much thought. She only knew two things. First she knew that she appreciated the time she got to spend with Saya and the other friends she’s made on her journey. Second she knew that she was unwilling to stay tied down. Not to a place for any significant amount of time. Not to a person for any significant amount of time. It didn’t matter if they were friends, family, or in Saya’s case a potential lover. And it would probably be for the best for Saya to figure that much out on her own.

She thought about giving Saya a brief answer summarizing her feelings in a few short words but then she saw it. A green light crawled out from the trees and reached for the sky. The howls of wolves echoed across the night. Thunderous footsteps from from the treeline. The spirits were running wild right on schedule.

“We’ll talk later!” Elaina shouted as she flew into action. 

With a flick of her wrist, her wand appeared in hand. A few waves later, walls of earth shot up from the ground. The spirits that had sprung from the forest looked like ghostly apparitions of fantastical looking rabbits and deer with the occasional pack of red eyes phantom wolves. 

The spirits ran around the barriers but then Saya cut them off. She carved out a large ditch with her wand and then filled it with water. Some of the phantom beasts fell in only to settle down and swim to safety. Eventually all the spirits filed in around the pool and began shoving into each other. Elaina took the cue and created a small pond of her own. The spirits that noticed broke from the ranks to surround her pool instead.

“Looks like my theory was correct.” Saya said with a proud smile.

“How did you know this would work?” Elaina asked. “I wasn’t sure these things even needed to drink.”

“Everyone gets thirsty sometimes.” Saya giggled. “A couple of the townspeople told me that the spirits would break into their houses and drink from their baths, sinks, toilets, anything.”

“So, there must be a water shortage in the spirit world.” Elaina said as she started walking towards the light.

“Miss Elaina, where are you going?” Saya asked.

“I came here to see the forest of spirits. I might as well make it more welcoming for when the spirits return home.” 

“Miss Elaina, wait for me!” Saya followed behind her, wanting to go wherever her beloved idol went. As they reached the edge of the forest they were swallowed up by the greenlight and spat out into the unknown.


	2. Lake of the Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elaina and Saya find themselves in the Forest of Spirits and look for any clues on how to appease the spirits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to write this. I didn't do any writing over the holidays. But now it's 2021 and this is the first thing I'm publishing.

A smile crept on Elaina’s face as she entered the forest. The trees towered a hundred feet. Green lights wrapped around the sky like a scarf. Glowing mushrooms dotted the ground. And small spirit orbs floated all around. 

“It’s the most beautiful place I ever saw.” Saya whispered. Elaina nodded and marched forward. Saya grabbed at her sleeve and followed her deep into the bushes. 

“Tracks.” Elaina pointed to the intentions in the ground. They were an incompressible mess of prints as if all the animals had been running in circles.

“Any idea where they lead to?” Saya asked.

“Well if these beasts just needed a drink, that means whatever their water source is must be dried up or blocked.”

“I’ll fly up and get a better look.” Saya pulled out her broom.

“Be careful.” Elaina warned. Saya nodded her head before taking off to the sky. She was only up there for a minute before she dropped back down. She pointed down a narrow twisting pathway through some bushes.

“There’s something that way that looks promising.” She said.

Saya led the way. They summoned light from their wands as the path grew darker. The forest became more and more twisted as they traveled deeper into the forest. The plant life also looked more and more decayed. The leaves were more dried. The plants that were more lush and vibrant were now rotted. The forest was sick, and wherever Saya was leading them was looking to be the source of the infection.

They arrived at the clearing and were shocked to find something completely out of place. There was a building. It rested right on the other side of a dried lakebed. Fifty meters of dry craggily clay separated the witches from the structure. The rusted steel box was overgrown with the same vines that surrounded the pathway.

The pair of witches traversed the barren lake and banged on the iron door of the building. There was no answer. They banged a second time to no avail. Elaine then waved her wand to slice the door open. As it landed with a large clang, dark vapor hit them in the face. A pungent rotting smell cascaded from the open doorway. Saya covered her nose. The odor made her sick to her stomach. For Elaina, the odor wasn’t as foreign. She had never smelled anything quite like it, but there were a few memories that came close. The field of flowers that consumed everyone who spent too much time there…..and the smell of burning flesh. The smell triggered some of her more unpleasant memories. She wanted to turn away. She wanted to forget the girl she saw brutally slain by the witch who had bent the fabric of space and time to save her. She wanted to forget the guard overgrown with parasitic plants in the embrace of his long dead sister. But before she could protest, Saya grabbed her hand.

“It reeks like death here.” Saya said. “Death and a few other things I can’t quite place.”

“You know what death smells like?”

“I’ve been forced to view a few cadavers in my time with the Association.” Saya said. “But I’ve never smelled anything quite this horrid.” She took out a few spare hair pins and fashioned them into nose plugs for Elaina and herself. 

“I’d say we should split up but this place gives me the creeps.” Elaina said.

“Yeah, I’m not really wanting you to leave my sight. Not just because I’m madly in love with you...which I am but...yeah this place is freaky.”

“Saya…” Elaina was at a loss for words. She didn’t want to admit that she had never dealt with traumatic events the way a hero would. She was a traveler. She wanted to experience the wonders of the world, even if she had to experience a few of the horrors that come with that same world. Saya wasn’t as ambitious. She just wanted people to like her. And that desire is what kept her strong in trying times. So while Elaina herself couldn’t help but remember the terrors of inaction, and the twisted versions of herself that did try to take action, this putrid scene just made Saya all the more determined to do her job.

“What is it Miss Elaina?” 

“The Association is lucky to have you. You’re a good fit in a way I don’t think I would.”

“Yeah.” Saya blushed and scratched the back of her head. “I don’t see you really getting along with the leaders. Much less taking orders from them. You’re a lot more awesome than that.”

“You’re just flattering me.”

“Is it working?” Saya asked. Elaina just sneered and turned away. “That wasn’t a no.” Saya leaned in closer and Elaina crossed her arms. “Face it Miss Elaina, I’m probably the only person capable of loving you more than you love yourself.”

The comment felt as much like a backhanded attack on her ego as it was a declaration of adoration. Of course Elaina loved herself. Why shouldn’t she? She was smart, strong and beautiful. Pretty much everyone she had ever met loved her. Saya always wore her feelings on her sleeve so the idea that she was the only one that loved Elaina that much implied that Elaina’s ego far outweighed the love she got from people she met in her travels. That should be absurd, but even calling it absurd would be more evidence of her narcissism. 

“Anyway, we should keep looking around.” Elaina huffed.

Elaina did end up finding what appeared to be a journal on a desk. The pages were so waterlogged and the desk overgrown with decayed vines that it was illegible. But Elaina used a small time reversing spell to regenerate the book and then quickly skim the pages and relay the information to her companion. 

The people who built the facility had first wandered into the Forest of Spirits years earlier. They had come in from another gateway on the other side of the forests and didn’t even realize it until they tried returning home only to be lost. They discovered the lake and the shiny stones encrusted in its banks. 

They did find their way home upon the next full moon. They then brought more people, building the facility as a jewel refinery and research outpost. They dug into the lake searching for more jewels. In their search for treasure, they unleashed something from the bottom of the lake. Something came out, dried up the lakebed and killed everything in the immediate area and then sunk back into the ground. The last entry in the journal lined up with the time the spirits grew restless. And it begged anyone who read it to restore the lake.

“Are we going to have to take down a dark spirit or something?” Saya asked.

“It wouldn’t hurt if that’s in our power.” Elaina said. “We should at least check out the lakebed.”

“Yeah, I was thinking that if it was spring fed we might be able to unblock it just by digging a bit.” 

“If you say so.” Elaina sighed. “I’m following your lead on this one.”

The two exited the facility. Elaina thought about tearing the place down, but since it’s construction isn’t what caused the spirits to run wild, it would be wasted effort. Besides, nature itself was doing a fine job at taking it back, and would continue to do so at a faster pace once the lake was returned.

It was more of a pond than a lake. Based on the elevation, its deepest part would have only been a hundred or so feet deep. Saya went to the lowest part of the lake bed and fashioned herself a shovel. Elaina shrugged and followed suit. 

It didn’t take too long to scoop out a few feet’s worth of dried clay. Below it was layers of wet mud. The witches dug deeper and widened their work area. After an hour of work, Saya sprung a leak. Dark water began seeping through the mud. Saya herself sunk down to her ankles as she jumped with excitement.

“Miss Elaina, I think it’s working!” She beamed. 

“Good work Saya. You did wonderful.” The adoration caused the younger witch to blush and look at the ground. There she saw something sparkling in the mud.

“What’s this.” Saya bent over and wrapped her fingers around the jewel. It looked to be the size of her palm. As soon as she touched it, the water started rushing up faster. The spring turned inky black as it rose up her legs. 

“Saya, wait!” Elaina reached out. But before they could touch, Saya pulled the round crystal from the crust. An eruption of dark water sprung forth and the two witches found themselves carried into the air on the dark geyser. 

“Miss Elaina!” Saya reached out, summoning her broom only for it to be knocked from her hand.

“Saya!” Elaina called out. She summoned her broom and held tight, aiming herself at her friend. They grew closer and closer. Then, just as they were a finger’s width from touching, everything went dark. Elaina and Saya both felt themselves submerged in liquid darkness. The only source of light was a single glowing eye in the same shape as the jewel.


	3. Out of the Unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elaina and Saya put everything on the line to stop the dark serpent of the lake.

Saya could only feel darkness. She had been ripped away from her precious Elaina. All because of curiosity and greed. The same forces that no doubt lead the prior residence of this outpost to their doom.

“Saya!” The cries were drowned out by the abyss. She was completely submerged in a place where there was no sunlight. But there was still a faint glow in the distance.

“Elaina?” Saya tried to speak as bubbles came from her mouth. Even so, she didn’t feel like she was drowning. The pool that had swallowed her up was strange. She could feel it causing her to drift. She felt weightless and lifeless. The smell reminded her of charcoal. She could breathe but barely. The dark void clutched at her throat, suffocating her in a way that felt more like wires tied around her neck rather than the overwhelming weight of water.

That’s right. This wasn’t water. If it was water her body would start to float up. She would be able to swim. She would have managed to stay afloat and reached the surface of the lake in no time. The whole reason for coming to this enchanted forest was to restore the lake. But there was something else she wanted, wasn’t there.

When she saw Elaina’s face she thought it was an illusion. But then Elaina grabbed her hand. It felt so warm, even in the frigid waters of this darkness. The glow from earlier had been her wand. She looked like she had mud caked to her usually spotless features.

Saya reached out for her beloved. But just as that beautiful ashen hair made contact with her fingers, the world began to tremble. Behind Elaina’s head, the darkness opened up into an eerie white glow. It was the exact shape of the jewel Saya had seen mere moments earlier, but it was far larger. 

Elaina turned to face the eye of the lake. The glow of her wand cast the beast's features in light. It was a large serpentine figure with rows of sharp teeth circling its mouth. Its scales, thicker than an autumn fog were as black as the water it was suspended in. 

“Wait.” Saya said weakly as she grabbed Elaina’s wrist. Her voice sounded normal now, albeit raspy from dehydration. She was beginning to understand this now. This was what dried up the lake bed. This was what the fools had unleashed upon the Forest of Spirits. This was the true culprit behind the upset spirits.

“A pair of witches.” It spoke with the voice of a tidal wave. “No wonder you survived so long in the presence of Untek the Punisher.”

“Let us go and return the water to the lake!” Elaina demanded. She must have figured it out too. Her grip on Saya’s hand weakened, as did the glow of her wand.

“The foolish spirits of this forest allowed greedy humans to build here. Those humans took more than what was needed and so I punished them. Just as I am punishing your loved one for trying to steal from me.”

“I didn’t take it.” Saya said. A bit of strength returned to her upon being referred to as Miss Elaina’s loved one.

“Those who take more than they need from nature shall suffer the cruelest punishment of nature!” Untek declared.

“That’s not for you to decide!” Saya said. “I was admiring the jewel, after working my butt off to restore nature.”

“If it was really you who took away the lake then you did far more damage than any human ever did.”

“The spirits who relied on that lake were complicit.”

“No wonder they kept you locked up in the bottom of the lake!” Elaina snapped. She waved her wand around forming a prism around the beast. 

“Your magic is worthless compared to me.”

“I already know you have the power to drain living power.” Elaina grunted. “So I’ll show you the power of death!”

Elaina was powerful. In terms of raw potential she far outclassed the other mages Saya was acquainted with. And against such a monstrous opponent, the refinement of a senior mage wasn’t necessary. Beams of light rocketed from Elaina’s wand. The ashen witch had a scary look in her eye that Saya had never seen before.

With each effort the pain of their memories echoed in the darkness. Each blade of light cast a shadow in the abyss. Elaina was scared. She was scared of her journey ending. She was scared of dying, of being lost in this darkness forever. She was scared that she dragged Saya to the grave with her. But she was wrong, Saya had taken this job by her own will. And she couldn’t stand by and let Elaina shoulder her burdens on her own.

Saya grabbed Elaina’s hand. Both their wands glowed as they independently agreed on one thing. They were going to live. They put every bit of energy they had into one last ditch effort to end this. Untek rushed at them as they charged up their spell. The outline of his maw, lined with row upon row of razor sharp teeth, surrounded them. Then, in a single blast, the witches fired a beam of pure energy that arced around and stuck the serpent in the eye. 

Even while blinded, Untek didn’t stop. Saya’s survival instincts kicked in instantly, and she prepared to sacrifice something precious for a little more power. Elaina grabbed her hand and got them both out of the way of Untek’s jaws. But it wasn’t over. Saya took one last look at Elaina. The two locked eyes for only a second before Untek thrashed around, trying to locate them again.

“Saya don’t.” Elaina said.

“Miss Elaina….” Tears welled up in Saya’s eyes as she made up her mind. She tried not sacrificing all of them, but the most powerful thing she had left to give was her memories and love. She got rid of things she didn’t think were as important first. Her sense of smell was the first to go. Then she sacrificed a few smaller memories: a nice pastry shop back home, her favorite hiding spot as a kid, a few of her memories from when she worked at an inn in the Land of Mages. But it wasn’t enough.

“I won’t let you.” Elaina said right as Saya thought about purging memories of their time together. Elaina raised her wand. Her hair began to glow as it shortened.

“Miss Elaina!”

“We can argue later! My hair can grow back, your memories can’t!” With Elaina’s hair now neck length they had enough power together to do what Saya wanted to do. She summoned a large glacier. Untek was crushed under the ice. The abyss began to dissipate. The darkness was slowly replaced with regular water. 

As the witches broke to the surface they both took in large gulps of air. Elaina managed to drag Saya to the shore. The two took their time to catch their breaths. The water of the lake was clear as rising. They were nearly swallowed up again with no strength to move. 

Saya lost consciousness before the next part. Elaina barely held on and she felt something tugging at her collar. A pair of blue spirits with pearl antlers like a deer and the face of a horse were pulling them to safety. As soon as they were out of reach of the lake waters, one of the spirits took a drink. Satisfied with the work of the witches, it danced around on the surface of the water, purging any pools of darkness that remained. The second spirit nudged Saya closer to Elaina. She could feel the spirits power enter her as thanks.

“I am the Lord of this Wood.” The stag said. His voice was deep and soothing and it rang deep in Elaina’s ears. “My brother and I were stripped of our power by Untek. While the serpent remains, you weakened him enough for the two of us to have our power returned to us and seal him away once again.”

“Is she….” Elaina didn’t want to think of the possibility. Saya was alive for sure. But how much did she sacrifice to save the both of them?

“Everything lost will be returned to her in time as the glacier she summoned melts away. Now to get the two of you home before the sun rises.”

The twin stags hoisted Elaina and Saya onto their backs. Elaina felt weightless as she put her face in the spirit’s mane. It was warm, welcoming and soft. It was the exact opposite of Untek’s abyss. It was comforting enough for the ashen witch to drift off to sleep.

When she awoke she was in a brightly lit room with Saya. It was the middle of the day, and judging from her surroundings, she was at a doctor’s. She checked her hair and sure enough, it had been restored. The Lord of the Mountain had told the truth that everything they lost would be returned to them as things settled down. It made sense. When spells are undone the things sacrificed to make those spells are returned. Elaina smiled, knowing that Saya must have known that, which is why she used her power to create rather than destroy. Had it been another blast of energy and successfully killed Untek then nothing short of his resurrection would undo the spell.

“Saya?” Elaina shook her friend awake. Saya’s eye opened and she sat up.

“How long was I out?” Saya asked as she rubbed her eyes.

Elaina filled her in on what she missed. Then the local doctor filled them in on the rest. As the spirits fled back into the forest the Lord of the Wood dropped them off in the field. A couple townspeople carried them the rest of the way. They were unscathed save some scrapes and bruises. 

Elaina decided to stay in town one more night to rest and Saya convinced her to join her. The two booked a room together and relaxed as they watched the townspeople going about their normal lives.

“You actually looked cute with short hair.” Saya said. 

“You remember that? Well, I prefer my hair long so thank you.” Elaina looked over at her companion. The brunette was massaging her own feet. She had been pushed beyond her limits and nearly sacrificed the most precious things to her just to make sure Elaina lived. “I’ve never given you a proper response.” Elaina said.

“You don’t need to.” Saya said. Elaina sighed as she stood and moved next to Saya. 

“You are precious to me.” Elaina said. Saya’s face turned red. She suddenly found it very hard to look Elaina in the eye. “I’ve been traveling for a while, and I love my lifestyle. But I live for the days when our paths cross.”

“Miss Elaina.” Saya’s eyes drifted close as she leaned forward.

“I don’t want any more regrets.” With that she closed the remaining distance. Their feelings reached each other. Even though Elaina had no intention of settling down or getting married anytime soon she had no doubt that she loved Saya and couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. Saya would continue to put herself in danger and Elaina wasn’t always going to be there for her. 

“Miss Elaina.” Saya moaned as they wrapped their arms around each other and laid in bed. They held each other close and exchanged chaste kisses. Tears welled up in Saya’s eyes as she made the kisses more passionate. And for once, just one night, Elaina sacrificed her usual decorum to appease her best friend. And the two of them burned every detail of that night deep into their memories.


End file.
